Progressive can crusher



April 3, 1962 F. L. RILEY, JR

PROGRESSIVE CAN CRUSHER Filed Oct. 19, 1960 INVENTOR FOREST RILEY JR.

BY W ATTORNEY trite This invention relates to the art of crushing cans and the like, and more particularly cylindrical cans formed of sheet metal, that they are easily disposed of. It is generally known that when disposing of empty cans of this type a space problem is encountered. I therefore propose the present invention as a simple and safe way of reducing the space required in the disposing of such cans.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a safe and simplified means by which cylindrical sheet metal cans and the like can be crushed to reduce their volume.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus for the purpose indicated which is exceedingly simple and foolproof in design, economical to produce, safe in operation, and which requires a minimum of storage space.

The above, as well as other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent upon consideration of the following specification and accompanying drawing wherein there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of apparatus constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation showing a device for crushing metal containers, constructed in accordance with and employed in connection with the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing certain of the components of the device of FIG- URE 1 in greater detail;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view, partly in section, of the components of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a view of a motor-driven cam used in the assembly of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawing, and initially to FIG- URES 1 and 2 thereof, there is shown apparatus comprising a rigid frame, generally designated by the reference numeral 10. Frame includes an uppermost bracket 11 and an intermediate bracket 12 each having a circular and axially aligned thru-bores 13 at their outer extremities. Frame 10 also includes a forwardly extending base portion 1 4 from which depend the non-skid feet 15. Centrally disposed on the rear wall of frame 10 between the base 14 and the bracket 12 is a large circular aperture 16.

A small conventional electrical motor 17, having a mounting flange 18 to fit against the frame wall and having threaded apertures to receive mounting bolts 19 passing through suitable holes in the wall, is locked in the position shown. On the rear side of said wall and directly above the protruding portion of the motor 17 is mounted a conventional toggle switch 20 connected between the electrical power source and the motor as schematically shown in FIGURE 1.

On the shaft 21 of the motor 17 is mounted a cam 22, having a small offset, which contacts the lower end of a reciprocating drive rod 23 extending upwardly through the bore 13 of bracket 12. The upper end of rod 23 is rigidly connected to and carries a platen 24. Directly above structure 24 is an upper platen 25 which is similar in size to the platen 24. Platen 25 is rigidly carried by the lower end of a plunger 26 which extends upwardly through bore 13 of bracket 11, and which has mounted on its top end a palm grip 27.

The aperture 13 of bracket 11 is machined to form a tates atent O "ice upper bracket 11 is provided with a release comprising an arm 31 pivoted on a pin 32.

The arm 31 is constructed with an enlarged central aperture, as shown in FIGURE 3, to allow passage of plunger 26. Mounted on arm 31 and positioned over each of grips 28 and 29 are protrusions 33 and 34. By depressing arm 31, by thumb pressure on button 35, for example, the vise grips 28 and 29 are forced downward by protrusions 33 and 34, thus allowing passage of plunger 26 upward to its initial position.

During operation of the apparatus described above and with a can to be crushed inserted as shown in FIGURE 1, the upward component of the reciprocatory movement of the platen 24 and the can supported thereon is effectively opposed by the vice grips 28 and 29, and accordingly during such movement components the can will be progressively diminished in height in small increments. It should be observed that the grips 28 and 29 form, in effect, a unidirectional clutch so that continued downward pressure on the plunger 26 through palm grip 27 will cause plunger 26 and consequently platen 25 to move downward progressively in small increments with each downward component of movement of rod 23, platen 24 and the supported can body.

It should now be apparent that I have accomplished the objects initially set forth by providing a simple, long-wearing can crushing device which is compact as well as safe. It can be seen that the small offset of the cam 22 will readily crush a metal can when downward pressure is applied to the grip 27, but the vertical distance that platen 24 travels will not be enough to crush a hand or fingers of a user.

Of course, many changes may be made in the illustrated embodiment of the present invention without departing from the true scope and intent of the invention. For example, the motor-driven cam 22 for rapidly oscillating the platen 24 may be replaced with an air-operated hammer or with other electrical vibratory power devices such as a power solenoid type of motor. Therefore, reference should be had to the following appended claims in determining the true scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for progressively but rapidly diminishing a dimension of a sheet metal can and the like comprising first and second spaced parallel platens between which the can to be crushed is adapted to be received, power means to rapidly reciprocate the first of said platens vertically through a short stroke in the direction of said dimension, means comprising a manually operable plunger to move the second platen vertically, a wedge means engaging said plunger and having such mechanical connection with said power means as to normally prevent following movement of the second platen when the first platen has a component of movement in the direction toward said second platen and normally having a non-gripping engagement with said plunger to permit gravitational movement of the latter toward the first platen, and means to release said wedge means, the arrangement being such that a continuing application of force to said plunger in a direction toward said first platen during a period of forced reciprocation of said first platen will progressively but rapidly crush a can positioned between said platens.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 further including a frame structure constituting said mechanical connection and having a base portion, a first guide portion for guiding the reciprocating movement of said first platen, and a second portion for supporting said wedge means, said wedge, means being operative to guide said plunger for sliding-movementin directions toward and away from said first platen. v H V s 53, Apparatus according to claim 2 further charac terized in that said first glide portion comprises a bracket having a bore therethrough, a rod slidably received in said bore and rigidly moun-ting said firstgplaten, and said power means being on the opposite side of said bracket from said first platen forreciprocating said rod longitudinally in said ,bore. p

, 4. Apparatus according .to claim 3 further characterized in thatsaid power means comprises a camrengaging the free end of said rod opposite the end thereof which is attached to said first platen, and means to journal and rotate said cam whereby said rod will have reciprocatory movement corresponding to the throw and speed of rotation of said cam.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 further characterized in that said mechanical connection includes a bracket for supporting said wedge means, said wedge means comprising a pair of semi-circular grip bits having conical outer surfaces adapted to be received in a conical bo-re formed in said bracket, said grip bits when assembled within said bore having a cylindrical opening therethrough adapted to receive said plunger, yieldable means biasing said grip bits into said conical bore and thus into tight gripping relation with said plunger, the arrangement being such that said plunger is normally locked against movement in one direct-ion while being free to move in the opposite direction, and said meahs'to release said wedge means comprising manually operable means to depress said grip bits against'said yielding means outward of said conical bore thereby allowing said plunger to be freely moved in either direction.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 23,894 Bentley et a1 May 10, 1859 1,375,469 Richard Apr. 19, 1921 2,707,503 Johnson et a1 May 3, 1955 

